It's The Economy

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BUSINESS
UPDATED WEEKLY

Breaking down the economic ideas we’ve all heard of but may not fully understand in under 15 minutes. Host Nicola Walton is joined by an economics expert each week to take us through the terminology, statistics and stories of how economic forces shape our world and lives. Brought to you by Intelligence Squared.

10/16/2025 • IQ2 EXTRA ONLY

Why Does It Feel Like Everything is Getting Worse? With Cory Doctorow

Why does every online platform seem to start out great - then slowly turn to garbage? Why do our digital public squares now feel more like corporate malls... or burning trash heaps? ‘Enshittification’ has been word of the year in the UK, USA and Australia. It's been printed in the pages of the FT and declaimed from podiums at the EU. As a word, it captures the feeling of a world that is ever worsening. Cory Doctorow, the tech and ethics writer who coined the term, argues that enshittification is not a technical glitch, but a technique that every platform - from X to TikTok, Amazon to Apple, has adopted on purpose to maximise profit at the expense of user experience. In this episode, Doctorow joins Carl Miller to break down what this relentless downward spiral means for democracy, privacy, creativity, and trust, and what can be done to reverse it. Doctorow offers a roadmap for reclaiming a better digital future. From breaking monopolies and restoring interoperability to empowering tech workers and enforcing real regulation, this is a conversation about what's broken, and how we can fix it.

39 min
09/16/2021

Ann Pettifor on Green Economics

It’s The Economy breaks down the complex economic ideas we have all heard of but don’t fully understand in under 15 minutes. In this episode host Nicola Walton speaks to Ann Pettifor, an economist perhaps best known for predicting the financial crisis of 2008. She is author of The Case for The Green New Deal, a fellow of the New Economics Foundation and a director of PRIME economics - a network of Keynesian macroeconomists. They discuss the green economy, green growth, impact investing and what industries can do to be more environmentally sustainable. It’s The Economy is brought to you by Intelligence Squared and hosted by Nicola Walton, a financial journalist and author of ‘How To Report Economic News’. Executive Producer: Farah Jassat; Producer: Lovejit Dhaliwal; Technical Support: Mark Roberts and Catharine Hughes. For updates on the show follow Intelligence Squared on Twitter (intelligence2) and Instagram (intelligencesquared). Let us know what you think by rating and reviewing It’s The Economy on Apple Podcasts. — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 min
09/09/2021

Bishnu Gupta on Gender and the Economy

It’s The Economy breaks down the complex economic ideas we have all heard of but don’t fully understand in under 15 minutes. In this episode host Nicola Walton speaks to Bishnu Gupta, Professor of Economics and Research Director of the CAGE research centre at the University of Warwick. They explore how gender intersects with the economy, what unpaid work isn’t valued as an economic contribution and how tech is transforming economic opportunities for women around the world. It’s The Economy is brought to you by Intelligence Squared and hosted by Nicola Walton, a financial journalist and author of ‘How To Report Economic News’. Executive Producer: Farah Jassat; Producer: Lovejit Dhaliwal; Technical Support: Mark Roberts and Catharine Hughes. For updates on the show follow Intelligence Squared on Twitter (intelligence2) and Instagram (intelligencesquared). Let us know what you think by rating and reviewing It’s The Economy on Apple Podcasts. — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 min
09/02/2021

Jim O'Neill on Emerging Markets

It’s The Economy breaks down the complex economic ideas we have all heard of but don’t fully understand in under 15 minutes. In this episode host Nicola Walton speaks to the economist Jim O’Neill. He is the former Chairman of Chatham House, a former UK Treasury Minister and a former Chief Economist for Goldman Sachs. He created the famous economic acronyms BRIC and MINT. They discuss emerging markets, the economic rise of China and which economies are the ones to watch. It’s The Economy is brought to you by Intelligence Squared and hosted by Nicola Walton, a financial journalist and author of ‘How To Report Economic News’. Executive Producer: Farah Jassat; Producer: Lovejit Dhaliwal; Technical Support: Mark Roberts and Catharine Hughes. For updates on the show follow Intelligence Squared on Twitter (intelligence2) and Instagram (intelligencesquared). Let us know what you think by rating and reviewing It’s The Economy on Apple Podcasts. — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 min
08/26/2021

Alpesh Patel on Trade

It’s The Economy breaks down the complex economic ideas we have all heard of but don’t fully understand in under 15 minutes. In this episode host Nicola Walton speaks to Alpesh Patel, an advisor to the British government’s Department for International Trade and founding board member of the UK India Business Council. They discuss trade, tariffs and trading blocs. It’s The Economy is brought to you by Intelligence Squared and hosted by Nicola Walton, a financial journalist and author of ‘How To Report Economic News’. Executive Producer: Farah Jassat; Producer: Lovejit Dhaliwal; Technical Support: Mark Roberts and Catharine Hughes. For updates on the show follow Intelligence Squared on Twitter (intelligence2) and Instagram (intelligencesquared). Let us know what you think by rating and reviewing It’s The Economy on Apple Podcasts. — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

17 min
08/19/2021

Andy Haldane on Monetary and Fiscal Policy

It’s The Economy breaks down the complex economic ideas we have all heard of but don’t fully understand in under 15 minutes. In this episode host Nicola Walton speaks to Andy Haldane, the outgoing Chief Economist for the Bank of England and incoming Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Arts. He breaks down monetary and fiscal policy, quantitative easing and the role of central banks. It’s The Economy is brought to you by Intelligence Squared and hosted by Nicola Walton, a financial journalist and author of ‘How To Report Economic News’. Executive Producer: Farah Jassat; Producer: Lovejit Dhaliwal; Technical Support: Mark Roberts and Catharine Hughes. For updates on the show follow Intelligence Squared on Twitter (intelligence2) and Instagram (intelligencesquared). Let us know what you think by rating and reviewing It’s The Economy on Apple Podcasts. — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 min
08/12/2021

Elmyra Chinje on Inflation

It’s The Economy breaks down the complex economic ideas we have all heard of but don’t fully understand in under 15 minutes. In this episode host Nicola Walton speaks to Elmyra Chinje, an economist from The Black Economist Network. They discuss inflation, hyperinflation, stagflation and the Consumer Price Index. It’s The Economy is brought to you by Intelligence Squared and hosted by Nicola Walton, a financial journalist and author of ‘How To Report Economic News’. Executive Producer: Farah Jassat; Producer: Lovejit Dhaliwal; Technical Support: Mark Roberts and Catharine Hughes. For updates on the show follow Intelligence Squared on Twitter (intelligence2) and Instagram (intelligencesquared). Let us know what you think by rating and reviewing It’s The Economy on Apple Podcasts. — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

17 min
08/05/2021

Susannah Streeter on Labour

It’s The Economy breaks down the complex economic ideas we have all heard of but don’t fully understand in under 15 minutes. In this episode host Nicola Walton speaks to Susannah Streeter, a senior investment and markets analyst for investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown and a former BBC presenter. They discuss labour, employment, the gig economy and the living wage. It’s The Economy is brought to you by Intelligence Squared and hosted by Nicola Walton, a financial journalist and author of ‘How To Report Economic News’. Executive Producer: Farah Jassat; Producer: Lovejit Dhaliwal; Technical Support: Mark Roberts and Catharine Hughes. For updates on the show follow Intelligence Squared on Twitter (intelligence2) and Instagram (intelligencesquared). Let us know what you think by rating and reviewing It’s The Economy on Apple Podcasts. — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

17 min
07/29/2021

Gus O'Donnell on Economic Growth

It’s The Economy breaks down the complex economic ideas we have all heard of but don’t fully understand in under 15 minutes. In this episode host Nicola Walton speaks to Lord O’Donnell, a former Cabinet Secretary who headed the British Civil Service between 2005-2011 under Prime Ministers Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron. They look at economic growth, what counts as GDP and productivity, and whether national happiness and wellbeing are taken into account. It’s The Economy is brought to you by Intelligence Squared and hosted by Nicola Walton, a financial journalist and author of ‘How To Report Economic News’. Executive Producer: Farah Jassat; Producer: Lovejit Dhaliwal; Technical Support: Mark Roberts and Catharine Hughes. For updates on the show follow Intelligence Squared on Twitter (intelligence2) and Instagram (intelligencesquared). Let us know what you think by rating and reviewing It’s The Economy on Apple Podcasts. — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 min
07/19/2021

Trailer

Ever wondered what influences interest rates? Why should we care about inflation? And what exactly is counted in GDP? If so, this is the podcast for you. It’s The Economy breaks down the complex economic ideas we may have all heard of but don’t fully understand. All that in under 15 minutes. Our host, Nicola Walton, is keen to stress that she is NOT an economist and that you don’t need to be either to understand economics. To demystify the topics at hand, each week she is joined by an economics expert to talk us through it all. It’s The Economy is brought to you by Intelligence Squared and hosted by Nicola Walton, a financial journalist and author of ‘How To Report Economic News’. Executive Producer: Farah Jassat; Producer: Lovejit Dhaliwal; Technical Support: Mark Roberts and Catharine Hughes. For updates on the show follow Intelligence Squared on Twitter (intelligence2) and Instagram (intelligencesquared). Let us know what you think by rating and reviewing It’s The Economy on Apple Podcasts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

5 min

10 Episodes

Intelligence Squared is the home of lively debate and deep-dive discussion. Follow Intelligence Squared wherever you get your podcasts and enjoy four regular episodes per week taking you to the heart of the issues that matter in the company of the world’s great minds. We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.

4.3 (722)

SOCIETY & CULTURE